One of my favourite songs by gospel icon Sfiso Ncwane is entitled Kulungile Baba. You may know it? It’s a firm fan favourite. But as I walked into the Grace Bible Church in Soweto on Friday morning, the words of the song stirred deep inside my heart.

The article "Ban badmouthing of Zuma - SACP", together with your editorial (The Times, yesterday), highlights how politically out of date the South African Communist Party is.

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The demise of communism came about because it was at odds with democracy .

The SACP exists only because of its alliance with the ANC and Cosatu.

If it appeared on the ballot paper on its own, it would be a political nonentity.

Its call for legislation that specifically protects Jacob Zuma from criticism is not only preposterous, but deeply undemocratic in principle .

If we are to construe criticism as insults every time they are proffered, then we might as well forget the ideals of democracy.

We can't allow fundamental values and tenets of democracy to be undermined by an organisation that never championed such values at any time in its history.

The SACP has no respect for the inalienable rights of individual freedom that are the hallmark of democracy, and the constitution.

Zuma has never embraced transparency, nor is he able to offer leadership worthy of emulation. Hence, he has to be subjected to scrutiny. If questions and criticisms are perceived as insults, then it boils down to the adage "if the cap fits, wear it".

Society must not be demonised by draconian legislation that demolishes our core values of freedom, including free speech, to prop up a leader who does little to instil the sense that we are living in a true democracy.

Your editorial is correct - our constitution is sufficient protection for everyone, president or others .

What superiority does, or should, Zuma enjoy over the ordinary citizen? Being the president does not allow one privileges beyond those the constitution has stipulated, and we must never succumb to calls like that made by the SACP.